Array Networks, Inc., the network functions platform company, today announced that its AVX Series Network Functions Platforms(AVX Series) family has earned ICSA Labs SSL-TLS VPN security certification, becoming one of only three solutions worldwide to hold the distinction. The AVX Series are hyper-converged platforms designed specifically to host networking and security workloads. The platforms deliver the performance of physical appliances coupled with the agility of virtual appliances while providing dedicated resources per instance.
ICSA Labs, an independent division of Verizon, develops and performs comprehensive, unbiased, third-party security certification testing. The ICSA Labs SSL-TLS VPN certification standard includes data confidentiality, authentication and integrity assurance for inter-network transactions. ICSA Labs certification helps enterprises, service providers and government agencies identify and evaluate security solutions with confidence. The AVX Series is an open platform that supports both Array and third-party virtual appliances; the testing was performed on AVX platforms running instances of Array’s vxAG virtual SSL VPNs and MotionPro Layer 3 VPN client.
“ICSA Labs recognizes Array Networks’ dedication to delivering high quality and secure platforms for networking and security applications,” said Sebastien Mazas, Director of ICSA Labs. “The following testing, ICSA Labs found that the network functions platforms are thoughtfully designed and properly execute SSL and TLS, confirming that the AVX Series securely processes SSL-TLS encrypted traffic.”
SSL-TLS has become the ‘gold standard’ for websites as well as for transmission of corporate information via virtual private networks. Corresponding with the growth of public, private and hybrid clouds, nearly 80 percent of internet traffic is encrypted. The ability of networking and security solutions to efficiently and securely process SSL-encrypted traffic has become essential.
Array’s Network Functions Platforms include high-performance SSL hardware to process SSL traffic with performance equal to that of dedicated, single-function appliances. The AVX Series features a security-hardened operating system that protects against a wide range of network attacks. Both the AVX Series and the vxAG virtual SSL VPN utilize Array’s robust SSL stack, which is tuned for both security and performance and has proved immune to attacks such as Heartbleed, GHOST, DROWN, and others.
The combination of SSL hardware, security hardening, and Array’s proprietary SSL stack – and the ability to host multiple security functions and service-chain them within a single consolidated appliance – make the AVX Series particularly well suited for use in data centers.
“ICSA Labs is one of the most respected security technology testing organizations, and offers independent validation of SSL-TLS conformance and efficacy to help enterprises, service providers and others protect critical network traffic,” said Milind Kulkarni, Senior Director of Product Management for Array Networks. “Many CIOs, CISOs, IT managers and others are seeking the agility of virtualization with the performance of dedicated appliances, to consolidate data center networking and security, or to develop innovative solutions for security and networking. They can now rely upon this testing in evaluating their options.”